Pubdate: Sun, 16 Feb 2014
Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Chico Enterprise-Record
Contact:  http://www.chicoer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861
Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority
Author: Rebecca Finn

ANOTHER ELECTION A WASTE OF TIME

Why is the Board of Supervisors so willing to squander taxpayers' 
money for a second election on an issue previously voted on? In 2011 
Butte County had a special election after the Board of Supervisors 
passed an incredibly restrictive ordinance on growing medical 
marijuana. Butte County residents showed their distaste with a 
referendum, and voters agreed by denying its passage. In the smartest 
move I had seen yet, a committee was formed made up of both advocates 
and opponents to come up with guidelines that brought compromise to a 
contentious issue.

Despite the fact that voters had previously voted down major 
restrictions, despite the fact that a committee representing both 
sides created an ordinance that worked for most, the Board of 
Supervisors recently voted to adopt ridiculously strict standards yet 
again. The kicker? Publicly acknowledging that voters would not stand 
for it and would in fact demand another vote as it's their only recourse.

As the outgoing ordinance was created by both sides, doesn't it seem 
smarter to keep the current ordinance in place while making minor 
changes if needed? Did you really have to be so over-dramatic that 
you're willing to have taxpayers foot the bill on yet another 
referendum, just to get your way? Apparently so.

Regardless of your stance on medical marijuana, the issue of our 
Board of Supervisors being so willing to waste our money should 
bother you. Government waste is definitely not just a White House 
issue. Time to clean house.

- - Rebecca Finn, Cohasset
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom